Blueberry Smoothie Bowl & How to Slow Down

Quick breakfasts are pretty awesome. That’s one of the main reasons why smoothies are great.

For busy days, or anytime we have to be somewhere early (flights, work, etc.), we keep a few pantry and freezer items around to produce a meal in seconds.

But just because we make them quickly, doesn’t mean we have to eat them quickly.

In addition to staying hydrated, one of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to improve health through food is to:

just. slow. down.

Breathe.

Take a minute to stretch or actually sit down.

Look outside for a minute, or think about something that makes you happy.

This isn't helpful just emotionally, either. Imagine if you had to chew all the food that just went through the blender. It would take a while, right?

We’ve found when drinking smoothies, it’s easy to go too fast.

Enter the smoothie bowl. We first came across this idea through Green Kitchen Stories, and have adopted it ever since. Here’s how:

Make a smoothie.

Eat it with a spoon.

That simple little hack makes a big difference in the way our food is digested, and how well we absorb the stuff we eat.

Why slowing down helps

This isn’t new, but it’s important. In Marc David’s book The Slow Down Diet, he explains how our stress response restricts our digestion. Specifically, too much cortisol leads to muscle and bone loss, and messes with our hunger signals.

“Stress is arguably one of the most common causative or contributing factors to just about any disease, condition, or symptom we know of.” (Mercola)

Besides this, chewing is the first step in digestion, and without it, nutrients can stay locked up in food. This can make us feel bloated or full, while at the same time have us feeling hungry more quickly.

Other ways to slow down

Eating a smoothie with a spoon instead of a straw is just enough of a difference for us to feel much better after eating. Here are some other super simple ways to slow down while eating:

Take 3 deep breaths at the beginning of a meal.

Sit for an extra five minutes at the end of a meal.

Between each bite, rest the fork or spoon on your plate, instead of in your hand.

Think of one thing you're grateful for at the beginning of each meal.

What are some ways you slow down or recharge even on busy days?

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Process

In our photos we have coconut yogurt on the bottom, with figs, shredded coconut, and cacao nibs on top.

Cody Gantz

Photography team on the West Coast. Mostly working with companies and magazines in the food world. Our clients are proud of their product, story, or mission (or all three), and we help them produce their idea into a reality.

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